Age: 24
2nd season in pro football & with Colts
College: Louisville
Height: 6’1” Weight: 190
Prelude:
Unitas was chosen in the 9th round of the 1955 NFL draft by the Steelers, but failed to make the team in the preseason. After playing semi-pro football, he was signed by the Colts to back up starting QB George Shaw. When Shaw went down with a broken kneecap four games into the ’56 season, Unitas got his chance, showed potential, and held onto the job.
1957 Season Summary
Appeared in all 12 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Passing
Attempts – 301 [1]
Most attempts, game – 37 at San Francisco 12/8
Completions – 172 [2]
Most completions, game – 23 at San Francisco 12/8
Yards – 2550 [1]
Most yards, game – 296 at San Francisco 12/8
Completion percentage – 57.1 [3]
Yards per attempt – 8.5 [2]
TD passes – 24 [1]
Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Detroit 9/29, at Detroit 10/20
Interceptions – 17 [2]
Most interceptions, game – 3 vs. Detroit 9/29, vs. Pittsburgh 11/3
Passer rating – 88.0 [1](Ranked 3rd in system used at time)
200-yard passing games – 8
Rushing
Attempts – 42
Yards – 171
Yards per attempt – 3.5
TDs – 1
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Awards & Honors:
NFL MVP: NEA
1st team All-NFL: NEA
2nd team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NY Daily News
Pro Bowl
The Colts went 7-5 to finish third in the NFL Western Conference, contending throughout the season but finishing a game behind the leaders after losing their last two games on the West Coast.
Aftermath:
The 1957 breakout season was just the beginning for Unitas. He led the Colts to back-to-back championships in 1958 and ’59, the first culminating in a sudden death classic against the Giants. Unitas was an outstanding play-caller as well as passer with a quick release and adept at throwing long, short, or in between. His 1957 season was part of a record 47-straight-game TD passing streak that ended in 1960. Unitas passed for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns in a career that extended until 1973. He was an MVP three more times, was named to 10 Pro Bowls, and selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time team. Unitas had his #19 retired by the Colts and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1979.
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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).
[Updated 2/15/14]
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